Suspect(s):

Description of Incident:

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two men who stole one flag and pulled another from a Dania Beach apartment building Monday evening.

The incident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. at the Admiralty Apartments at 137 North Federal Highway. A resident saw the two suspects, Richard Roderick, 43, and Roger Crosse, 50, approach the building with a bicycle. One man held the bicycle as the other climbed up on it to reach a large American flag attached to the building. The suspect broke the mounting bracket and removed the flagpole from the wall. The observant resident yelled at the men, telling them to stop. At that point, Roderick and Crosse tossed the flag down and left the area, walking south along the sidewalk.

While passing the Casa Bella Italian restaurant, the same witness saw one of the suspects pulled a small flag out of the ground and stuff it into his back pants pocket.

Dispatched to the area, BSO Deputy Dave Gambrel spoke to the witness and then approached the two suspects, who were still in the area. Crosse had a flag poking out of his pocket and he told the deputy that he used it “as a hankie.” After the witness positively identified Roderick and Crosse as the flag thieves they were both arrested.

Roderick was charged with Petty Theft, Possession of Stolen Property and an Open Container violation (for having an open quart bottle of beer). Crosse was charged with Petty Theft, Defacing a United States Flag, and Possession of Burglary Tools (the pliers used to break the flag pole bracket). Both were booked at the Broward County Jail.

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